Bluey has become not only the biggest kids’ show on the planet but one of the most popular TV series worldwide. Period. First airing in its homeland of Australia in 2018, the realistic portrayals of parenting combined with the zany wholesome hijinks of a pair of adorable animal sisters means the show is loved equally by kids and adults.

But. Not every single moment of Bluey is available in the United States. A handful of episodes were eliminated by American censors and/or Disney. Some episodes have also been heavily censored and/or altered for American audiences. Why would a kids’ show be censored or have episodes banned? It’s a reasonable question and the easy answer is it’s complicated. Sometimes it’s because a word has a different connotation in the U.S. than it does in Australia. Other times, there’s an innuendo, or topic U.S. censors have deemed inappropriate.

Across all seasons of Bluey, references to Australian-specific things were localized for American audiences, so we won’t spend too much time discussing those unless they were explicitly censored for serious implications (as serious as Bluey can be, anyway). Likewise, certain bits of dialogue were altered through the series for various reasons, and unless it was something provocative, this article will also glance past those changes.

So, without further ado, here’s a full list of censored and banned Bluey episodes as of May 2023, including one very recent body-shaming moment in Australia.

Update! This list now includes 2024 Disney+ versions of Season 3 episodes!

Bluey Season 1 — Censored Or Banned Episodes

The good info about the first season is currently no episodes are banned in the U.S. anymore. However, a few notable changes were made to them, some of which were censored and altered outside of Australia.

Censored: “Daddy Robot”

What was censored and why? A fairly wholesome and hilarious episode, this episode and two others from the first season, “Shaun” and “Teasing,” along with “Flat Pack” from Season 2 were censored due to the use of a racially-insensitive term that could refer to Aboriginal people. The ABC apologized and claimed it was not intended to refer to that abhorrent use of that word. “Daddy Robot” and the other episodes now use a nonsense word to replace the derogatory phrase.

Update: “Teasing” was restored on Disney+ when Bluey season 3B was added, replacing the offensive phrase with “Shoobi-doo-wop”.

Censored: “Fruit Bat”

What was censored and why? A scene where Bluey is playing “Penguins” in the bathroom was cut from the U.K. and the U.S., although it’s still referenced in the episode.The cut scene has Bluey sliding around the room, something that could be dangerous for a kid to do on a wet tiled floor.

Censored: “Taxi”

What was it censored and why? The episode ends in the U.S. with Bandit finally boarding his imaginary airplane, only to realize the reckless cab driver is also his pilot. However, the original version continues after that realization, with Bingo’s character pretending to throw up on Bandit’s lap. In the U.S. version, there is no vomit, and that’s why the episode ends earlier here than in the original one.

Censored: “Markets”

What was censored and why? As the girls are looking for a way to use some cash, they meet a unicorn handler (actually a pony with a horn on her head). Bluey is excited at this idea but learns only one of them can have a ride on her. Their disappointment quickly disappears after the unicorn drops a huge turd on the grass, leaving the kids fleeing as they scream their heads off. The turd does not exist in the Disney+ version.

This horse and her owner were seen again in the Season 3 episode “Pass the Parcel,” only this time the horse had already relieved itself. In the original version, her feces can be seen in a wide shot where the kids are playing the game, but the American version has an alternate version with the poo pile missing.

Censored: “Daddy Putdown”

What was censored and why? At one point in the episode, Bingo asks her dad how babies get into mom’s bellies. This line is cut in the U.S. version. Apparently, Disney doesn’t want pregnancy discussed in-depth in a show aimed at preschoolers.

Bluey Season 2 — Censored Or Banned Episodes

The second season brought a few new challenges to the show that needed resolutions, including one episode that will probably remain in the Disney vault until the end of time.

Banned: “Dad Baby”

Why was it banned? Similar to “Daddy Putdown,” this one is even more focused on pregnancy and carrying babies. The episode does not exist on Disney+ and in the U.S. at all. In it, Bandit (the dad) simulates what it’s like to give birth. The entire episode is banned as a result.

Will it be unbanned? Most likely never. Unlike “Family Meeting” (aka “the fart episode”) it appears this one is not coming to Disney+ anytime soon.

Altered: “Army”

Why was it changed? Jack seems to act like a child with ADHD. Although he is too young to comprehend the way his brain understands the world around him, he knows it works differently from others.

In the original version, Jack tells Rusty “There’s something wrong with me.” It was later revised to “There’s something going on with me.”

Censored: “Trains”

Why was it censored? Bluey hands Conductor Bandit something when he asks for her ticket that she instructs him to rub all over his face. In the original version, imaginary poop was passed to her dad. In America, the line was changed to transform that invisible heap into a slug.

Censored: “Flat Pack”

Why was it censored? We already discussed earlier how this one was hit with the same racially-insensitive insult heard in “Daddy Robot,” but there may be another reason this one was controversial.

The core of this episode is a whirlwind examination of the cycle of life, rife with metaphors and silliness to keep it light. However, this episode does include a part that can be interpreted as an afterlife, and it’s also possible to see this plot as a baby’s first look at evolution.

Currently, the episode is available on all platforms in the U.S. with only the derogatory term removed. If you haven’t seen it in a while, it’s a deeply moving six minutes worthy of a rewatch.

Bluey Season 3 — Censored Or Banned Episodes (So Far)

The release of this season has been split into several batches of episodes. At the time of publication, Australia is about to get the third part of the season, with no plans on when it will come to the United States.

Censored: “Exercise”

What was censored? The episode opens with Bandit looking unhappy about the results of weighing himself, grabbing his sides remorsefully. Chilli shows similar dissatisfaction when she does the same. Arguably one of the biggest chunks to be edited out of this show, “Exercise” turned into a huge divisive battle immediately with accusations of fat-shaming, and concerns centered around body dysmorphia in children and adults. Ultimately, the first minute of this episode was removed across all global distributors due to these concerns, instead starting in the backyard with Bandit beginning his workout routine and no discussion on the shape of his body. To be clear, this episode has not even aired yet in the US.

Censored: “Perfect”

Why was it censored? In one flashback, Bandit is playing “Boomerang” with Bluey while having a conversation with Fido. In the original version, the conversation seems to be about getting neutered, or in human terms having a vasectomy. When it arrived in the U.S., it was changed to be about having Bandit’s dog teeth removed.

Censored: “Born Yesterday”

Why was it censored? In a scene where Bingo and Bluey teach Bandit how to use a swing, the girls intentionally position him so it hits him in the crotch, causing him to cry out, “My groin!” That word is eliminated in the U.S. version.

Also in S3, the word “groin” is edited out of the U.S. version of “Chores” when Bandit complains about hurting his groin after attempting to do Bingo’s “Bee-yoop” silly walk.

Censored: “Mini Bluey”

Why was it censored? When Bingo proves to Bluey she’s annoying too, only in a different way, the younger sister tapes her nose back and puts fake teeth into her mouth. Bluey says she looks “crazy” in the Australian version. The word “crazy” does not appear in the U.S. version.

As opposed to an abrupt cut to hide something like Bandit’s groin hit in “Born Yesterday,” the cut is not noticeable at all and adds to the element of surprise once Bingo reveals herself.

Censored: “Driving”

Why was it censored? While having an imaginary drive with Bluey that starts to take a turn into madness, her stuffed cat Agatha threatens to pee on the curtains. In the censored version, Agatha instead tells them she’ll scratch their curtains.

Censored: “Faceytalk”

What was censored? When Muffin goes on a rampage and tries to escape from her dad while still on the call, she runs around the house, eventually smashing into the bathroom, which Trixie is using. In the original version, Trixie can be clearly seen on the toilet, forced to cover herself up. The American edit crops this out, instead keeps the shot tight on Muffin’s face so as not to reveal the scene behind her.

Update: As of the summer of 2023, “Faceytalk” has been restored to the original version, with Trixie easily seen seated in the bathroom.

Censored: “Puppets”

Why was it censored? Unicorse is using his best moves to get on Chilli’s good side in the worst way possible. While showing off his sweet moves, Chilli remarks about the chili sauce stain on his body. Australians heard Unicorse respond with, “Wanna’ lick?” The American version has altered this to “Want a bit?”

Censored: “The Decider”

Why was it censored? Twice in “The Decider,” the two families of sports fans tease each other by saying their team will “flog” the opponents. A term more commonly used with Australian sports fans than Americans, Disney+ viewers will instead hear “beat” due to the violent implications of what the other word means.

Briefly Banned: “Family Meeting”

Why was it banned? The obvious reason is the sheer volume of references to passing gas. There isn’t any real potty humor here, but the impetus of the episode is based around a silent but deadly affront to poor Bluey’s nose.

Censored: “Relax”

Why was it banned? In the opening moments of "Relax," Bandit calls the kids "Super Troopers" in the US edit. However, in the original Australian version, he refers to his girls as "Dingle Berries." What's so controversial about a nonsense word? Turns out the phrase has more than one meaning, and while many know it as a way to insult someone's intelligence, it stems from something more fecal. Apparently, when it comes to Disney Plus, bathroom humor and Bluey mix like cereal and windshield washer fluid, so those berries were better left where they belonged.

Where To Watch Banned Bluey Episodes

If you’re looking to find all the episodes closer to how they looked when they initially aired, the only way is to get the DVD of Season 1 and Season 2, which is region specific to the United States. There are also other ways to find Bluey episodes, but even the hardiest of Pomeranians wouldn’t dare look in those dark corners of the web. Occasionally, the ban does lift on an episode, but so far, that’s only happened once or twice.

Non-banned Bluey episodes air on Disney+ in the United States.

This article was originally published on March 27, 2023